Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Trade Nation, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
ActivTrades, established in 2001, and Trade Nation, founded in 2014, are both online brokers that prioritize client protection and regulatory compliance. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. Both firms hold two Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a highly trustworthy status according to ForexBrokers.com standards. They also each possess one Tier-2 license, reflecting a trusted level of security and operations.
While both brokers demonstrate a commitment to safety through their regulatory credentials, Trade Nation edges out slightly in reliability with a Trust Score of 85 out of 99, compared to ActivTrades' Trust Score of 81. This places both brokers in the "trusted" category, offering customers confidence in their service integrity while providing a secure environment for trading activities.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
When comparing ActivTrades to Trade Nation in terms of commissions and fees, there are notable differences. ActivTrades, with a four-star rating for commissions and fees, primarily offers an Individual Account, alongside Professional and Islamic Account options. While spreads are generally better than the industry average, they don't quite match up to the best low-cost forex brokers. Spreads for ActivTrades' various account types remain consistent and are subject to variation during trading sessions, particularly around rollover periods. The average spread for the EUR/USD in May 2024 was noted to be 0.98 pips. Ranked #27 out of 62 brokers in this category by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades' commission structure mainly depends on the assets traded.
Trade Nation, on the other hand, is awarded a five-star rating for its competitive fixed-spread pricing, which it applies across all tradeable symbols on its proprietary platform. While it also offers variable spreads on its MetaTrader platform, the fixed prices make it simple for traders to calculate costs without needing to consider typical trade-session volatility—except during the daily rollover period. With a fixed spread of 0.6 pips for the EUR/USD and brief spread widening during rollover times bringing the average closer to 1 pip, Trade Nation remains competitive. The broker's commission-based Raw Spread account consists of a $7 round-trip commission per standard lot, positioning it strongly in the market. As a result, Trade Nation holds an impressive #7 ranking in the Commissions and Fees category out of 62 brokers.
Overall, while both brokers offer diverse account options to cater to different trading needs, Trade Nation's simplification through fixed spreads and appealing pricing grants it a slight edge in commissions and fees compared to ActivTrades. For traders weighing the cost-efficiencies of trading platforms, Trade Nation provides a more straightforward fee structure that could be beneficial, especially during highly volatile market conditions where spread predictability is valued.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.6 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing ActivTrades and Trade Nation for their investment offerings, both online brokers provide traders with access to forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. ActivTrades boasts a larger selection with 1,267 tradeable symbols, compared to Trade Nation's 1,000. In the realm of forex pairs, ActivTrades again holds an edge with 49 pairs, whereas Trade Nation offers 46. However, neither platform allows the purchase of exchange-traded U.S. securities such as Apple shares. While ActivTrades provides access to international exchange-traded securities, like Vodafone shares on the London Stock Exchange, Trade Nation does not offer this option.
Both brokers accommodate investors interested in cryptocurrency derivatives without dealing in actual cryptocurrency purchases. When it comes to copy trading features, both ActivTrades and Trade Nation meet expectations. Despite these similarities, ActivTrades earns a slightly higher investment range rating of 4 stars, compared to Trade Nation's 3.5 stars. On ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is ranked 31st out of 62 brokers for investment range, while Trade Nation holds the 38th spot, underscoring ActivTrades' superior standing in this category.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing online brokers ActivTrades and Trade Nation, both offer a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools designed to cater to various trading styles. ActivTrades provides a proprietary platform along with support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, giving traders a flexible range of options for trading. They also have both desktop and browser-based platforms, making it convenient to trade from different devices. Trade Nation, on the other hand, offers its own in-house platform while also supporting MetaTrader 4. However, it doesn’t extend to MetaTrader 5, which may limit some traders looking for the latest features. Both brokers offer free demo accounts, allowing traders to practice risk-free, and support copy trading. They don't offer features like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, staying focused on their core services.
ActivTrades and Trade Nation each have distinct strengths in their trading tools. ActivTrades stands out by allowing users to trade directly from stock charts and offers 15 drawing tools for charting, which can enhance trading precision. In contrast, Trade Nation provides a higher number of drawing tools at 39, although their charts lack direct trading functionality. Both brokers have robust watch list capabilities, with Trade Nation allowing for 14 fields compared to ActivTrades' 11. Despite their differences, both are rated four stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with ActivTrades ranked 29th and Trade Nation 45th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 99 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 14 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of ActivTrades and Trade Nation, both brokers offer comprehensive options for iPhone and Android users. They support features like stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and the option to view multiple time frames, ensuring a versatile trading experience. Both apps allow for creating watchlists with real-time quotes, although Trade Nation takes the lead with watchlist symbol syncing between the app and the online account—a feature ActivTrades lacks. In terms of charting tools, ActivTrades offers 30 technical studies, whereas Trade Nation provides a more extensive selection with 99 studies.
Despite both brokers receiving a 4-star rating for their mobile apps, ActivTrades outshines Trade Nation in overall ranking by ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #19 compared to Trade Nation's position at #45 out of 62 brokers. This suggests that while both apps are highly rated, ActivTrades may provide a slightly superior user experience overall. Both platforms ensure that drawings on charts are automatically saved, catering to the needs of traders on the go. Whether you value a higher number of technical studies or prefer syncing capabilities, both ActivTrades and Trade Nation offer solid mobile app choices for trading.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 99 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing ActivTrades and Trade Nation for their market research offerings, several distinctions come to light. ActivTrades stands out by providing daily market commentary, which is not available with Trade Nation. Both brokers offer forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring access to solid information. In terms of analysis tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, neither broker offers these resources, which may limit options for traders seeking advanced analytics.
Both ActivTrades and Trade Nation provide a sentiment-based trading tool, which can be useful for understanding market trends. However, while Trade Nation benefits from tools by Acuity Trading, such as the Signal Centre, ActivTrades does not. Additionally, ActivTrades offers a global economic calendar to track important events, a feature absent from Trade Nation's resources. With a 4-star rating and a ranking of #30, ActivTrades is slightly ahead in research capabilities compared to Trade Nation's 3.5-star rating and #42 ranking.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to providing educational resources for beginner traders, both ActivTrades and Trade Nation present a range of materials focused on forex and CFDs. ActivTrades stands out with its offering of monthly online client webinars and a searchable archive of previously recorded sessions, which can be immensely beneficial for learning at one's own pace. While both brokers offer more than ten beginner-focused educational videos, ActivTrades also extends its resources to more advanced traders with a collection of videos that target experienced audiences.
Trade Nation, on the other hand, provides a competitive selection of beginner-oriented educational videos but does not support ongoing learning through online client webinars or a searchable archive, limiting options for learners who benefit from interactive or on-demand sessions. Unlike ActivTrades, Trade Nation does not cater to advanced learners in their video offerings. Despite the limitations, Trade Nation scores a respectable 3.5 stars for education, while ActivTrades edges slightly ahead with a 4-star rating. In the broader field of online brokers, ActivTrades ranks at 38th while Trade Nation follows closely at 42nd in the education category according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than Trade Nation. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 |
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Both ActivTrades and Trade Nation do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives, rather than the actual cryptocurrency itself.
Both ActivTrades and Trade Nation offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing account funds, but neither broker provides ACH, SEPA, or PayPal as options.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Trade Nation Review |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.6 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 14 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 99 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 39 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 99 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Education | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Trade Nation Review |
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